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So close. We were set for jury selection this past Monday. So, talking about themes, defenses, the jury selection process. Having a mock jury selection. And then, by last Thursday, the State realized that the victim & witnesses were less than cooperative. So, our client decided to take a greatly reduced state offer in order to resolve his case. But that was Thursday of last week. By this Monday he was having second thoughts; and his clinician was close to a heart attack. If the client didn’t enter a plea, we would be selecting a jury & having a trial later this week. However, heart attack was averted. At the end of the morning, the client went ahead & entered a plea. The lesson learned: you have to be ready for anything and everything!

The beginning of a new semester is around the corner; and I still have a zillion things to do. Trying to close out the 35+ cases handled last semester. Trying to get grades done. Trying to update the syllabus. Trying to figure out how many cases to take to start off the summer clinicians. And, come next week, trying to figure out the new courthouse (and where to park) with students in tow. Never a dull moment in clinic land.

Okay, I don’t know if it’s actually going to be lucky, but I’ll put that thought out there. Court this a.m. to set a case for jury selection. . .of course it’s set for May 14th. Oh well. Hard to tell the Judge that I’ll be a little short of students that week. And we have another jury selection set for April 16th which should go. So, a bit of juggling going on, but it’s all good. Issues keep popping up: admissability of 911 calls, reverse Williams rule, stand your ground. And you thought evidence class was just an esoteric exercise. See, there is a reason to pay attention in class!

22 cases on the calendar one day; 15 on another. Receiving 6 new cases the day before court. Finding the “P-farm”; and mastering the jail. Setting 30 day motions; setting hearings; setting trials. . .all while learning the lingo, learning the local rules, learning the law, learning how to juggle, learning to exhale.